


The Chaconne

by Theslymistress



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Music, NaruSasu - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-12
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-13 02:29:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11175120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theslymistress/pseuds/Theslymistress
Summary: NaruSasu. Naruto is a famous musician with a fatal disease. After constant battling, Shikamaru makes Naruto get a live in nurse named Sasuke. Yaoi (don't like don't read)





	1. Chapter 1

Performing is no issue to a season performer like Naruto. Naruto has been performing since he was eighteen. He didn't go to college like the rest of the kids, not it was off to the city to try and forge a music career. Those were some rough times from being almost homeless and having no electricity. Also one of his biggest challenges was just getting someone to sit down and listen to his music, which people apparently thought wouldn't sell.

Now Naruto is thirty-four and now he's facing the biggest challenge of his life, this damn cold. It's not really a cold, but Naruto is so convinced it will pass, unlike his friends. Shikamaru, his manager, keeps harassing him about going to see a doctor. Naruto hates the doctor. They are assholes that only give you bad news. If Naruto wants bad new, he'll talk to Ino about her tragic love life.

It's almost apparent that this cold was turning into something because Naruto is crouched over the garbage can with tears streaming down his eyes. Throwing up never felt so dad. It's like his lungs are ready to give in and his back's under a lot of pressure. Naruto never cried from such pain. The tears stung his eyes and they ran down till they met his mouth. It runs over his faded pink lips and fill his mouth with a salty taste.

Naruto lies up against the wall breathing hard. All of this and he still has a half a concert more to do.

"Fuck…" Naruto hisses as his head slaps against the hardened plaster. "What the fuck is happening to me…" Naruto groans and stares up at the ceiling as if an answer would fall from the sky.

Naruto could sit here and pout all day, but then the show would suffer. So he has to get back on his feet and finish his performance. He never breaks his promise to his fans. This is the last tour before his month break.

So what to do?

Naruto gets up off the floor and goes over to his mirror. He looks at himself, and he can tell he doesn't look so good. His eyes seem clouded and he doesn't recognize man in the mirror, no matter how cliché it is, it's true. Just a year ago, Naruto was the picture of health. His skin was tan and bright not the damp color it is. Still with hair and makeup not a single soul noticed.

Naruto grabs his water bottle and take a long drink. The water bottle begins to collapse inward with a loud pop. He goes over to the bathroom and brushes his mouth. He can't look sick when Ino comes in to fix his makeup. He'd just tell her he sweated it off while dancing. One of his songs, Shadow Clone, required a lot of movement and dance.

"Alright Naruto." Ino walks into the room. "Ready to dance?"

"Yeah." Naruto says. Naruto spits into the sink and joins her back in the main part of his dressing room. His dressing room is quite simple at this place. There's a mirror and Ino's makeup and hair stuff. Also there's carpet and the walls are a very light blue. '

"What were you doing brushing your teeth? You gotta date afterwards?" Ino asks.

"No." Naruto says. "You know, I just want to make sure my breath smelt good." Naruto lies easily, but then he remembers the throw up in the garbage can is bound to start stinking any moment now. Ino knows he's been sick, but not that it's getting worse. The only one who knows is Shikamaru, because he'd walked in on Naruto when he was having some sort of attack. Naruto was constantly throwing up that day, and that's when Shikamaru made him go to the doctor. Still Naruto always got his way and got out of it.

"Oh and what's that smell? Did someone throw up in here." She walks over to the garbage can. "Damn, Naruto!" She takes the can and throws it outside the room. "What the hell? Did you get drunk or have you been drinking?"

"N.. Yeah." Naruto scratches his head. "I just had a little liquor and I mixed some stuff. God my stomach hurts." That last part has some truth. Naruto stomach refuses to keep food down.

"Well did you mix white and brown liquor?" Ino says. "I did that and I woke up in the bushes." She laughs and her eyes looks like she's in a daze. "Alright let's get this done before you have to get back on stage." After this Sakura brings his attire in for the next arc of his performance.

Naruto always liked the second half. It's easier. He doesn't do dancing and he gets to rock out on his guitar and with the band. Naruto enjoys himself on the guitar, it's his second love. His first love is violin, but he never got to play it as much as he would like.

When he was younger he loved the violin. He'd play it every chance he got. He would one day hope to become a famous violin player, but that dream quickly faded when he found out he'd have to be in orchestra. The orchestra was okay, but he wanted to perform solo and have his own show. Naruto knew he wasn't the type to play second fiddle to someone else. So he learned to play the guitar.

"Well I won't drink whatever I drunk again." Naruto says as he lays back into sink. Ino begins to rinse some of grease out of his hair, just to put more in.

After she has it all dried out, She begins to fix the hair and makes it into Naruto's signature hairdo, the spiky hair. Naruto has to admit; he enjoys getting his hair styled. Ino is so gentle because Naruto is tender headed. When he was younger Kakashi and Yamato would pull his hair out.

"Alright, done." Ino says as she passes him a mirror. Naruto looks in the mirror and sees his hair. Its looks great and Naruto passes her back the mirror with a quick thank you. She smiles and leaves the room. She goes to get Sakura, while Naruto waits for her to come in with new attire.

"What do you have for me today?" Naruto asks. Naruto feels slightly light headed, but he assumes it's from the throw up. The room seems to spin lightly as he stand to his feet. The ground feels as if it's drifting under him.

"Well… Hm…" Sakura holds up both attires. "Maybe Plaid… or no plaid. I don't know, which one do you like."

"How about just the plaid T-shirt and a pair of black jeans…" Naruto says.

"Yeah…" Sakura throws the red shirt to the side and passes Naruto the orange plaid T and a pair of black jeans. "Alright, well my work is done." Sakura doesn't have to do much for the second act as Naruto usually rocks out with his guitar on this half, so his clothes don't need to be so perfect.

"Thanks." Naruto says as she leaves the room. Naruto wonders over the couch and sits. The room seems like its going crazy and Naruto needs to put his head on straight. He's do on the stage at any moment… What will he do then? Naruto takes deep breaths.

He gets up from the chair slowly and walks over to the bathroom. He throws water in his face from the sink to knock himself out of this rut he's in.

"Come on." Naruto slaps his face a couple of times. "You gotta get out there and perform… You can't disappoint all eighteen thousand people out there, you can do it…" Naruto feels like shit, but it's his desire to perform that's keeping him on his feet at the moment. He isn't about to just quit and walk off. That is a no.

"Naruto you're on in ten." Neji comes in the dressing room. Neji is the stage designer and he's the stage manager. He runs Naruto's tour. "Naruto." Neji walks up to his bathroom and sees Naruto in the mirror. "Why are you admiring yourself? First you're drunk and you throw up, no you're not even dressed for the show? Naruto you have to do better."

"I'm sorry." Naruto says. "Fuck… I just was thirsty, is all. And I came to get water from the faucet."

"Don't say sorry to me, say sorry to the people out there when you're late." Neji says. "Good god Naruto what are am I going to do with you?"

"I don't know…" Naruto smiles. "Tolerate me."

"Shut up and get ready… you have no time to bull shit." Neji rolls his eyes. "You are on and if you don't want to go on we can cancel the show. I don't care, but you'll have a lot of mad fans." Neji is sort of uptight about everything. He tries to be nice, but that's not him. He's a control freak and that's why he's the perfect stage designer and manager.

"Okay, get out so I can change." Naruto walks over to his clothes and begins to strip out of them. He does it slowly careful not to annoy his headache or whatever it is. Naruto slips on the shirt and the pants. He walks over to the shoes and picks them up off the ground. He puts them on and he gives himself a look in the mirror.

He knows in about thirty seconds he will be out in front of a crowd singing his heart out, and he desperately wanted to get rid of this spinning. He feels like he's on a merry go round, but it just won't stop.

Naruto heads out to the stage and he takes a water bottles and swallows in hole. He suppresses the headache for now and he heads onto the stage. He tries to forget all the weird things that are happening to him and he begins to perform.

(Chaconne)

Naruto is almost done with his performance and things seem to be going good.

"Alright, you guys ready for Rasengan." Naruto says.

The crowd chants with powerful cheers. This will be the final song of the night and the crowd wants to sing along to Naruto's biggest hit. They begin to wave their hands back and forth as Naruto play his guitar. Naruto can hear the people in the audience go crazy.

"Naruto!" The crowd screams.

"All you have to do is…." Naruto begins to sing and about halfway through the song Naruto's head begins to ache badly. His body begins to sort of shut down and he's sight begins to fail slowly. He can see the bright lights, but that's about it. The lights begin to spin and they seem to become closely related and then become. There's one big bright light, and that's all Naruto can see.

Naruto's heart begins to beat fast as if it's lost control. Naruto fights to stand straight up and he stops playing his guitar. Naruto has to finish this performance and he's not gonna stop.

"Rasengan…." Naruto drops to his knees and the last piece of the song barely escapes his now dry mouth.

"Naruto!" The fans repeat over and over again. They can't tell Naruto's having a rough time. They think it's apart of the act.

Naruto smiles and he crawls off the stage, unable to walk. He stands as he reaches the end of the stairs and he knows he has to get back to his dressing room. He walks back to his dressing room, and he passes everyone as they tell he "Great show." Naruto gets into his dressing room and clothes the door.

He falls to his knees and he can't see anything. He got back to the room from memory. He crawls over to the couch and he lays on it and looks up the ceiling. The ceiling seems likes it fading and the world seems likes it's shutting off. The dark is closing in. It's starts from the corners and it moves in, it reminds Naruto of when he turns off his old TV, it closes in slowly and Naruto is greeted by the a new world, a world full of darkness. Naruto lets out a final sigh as he's taken under.


	2. Chapter 2

Naruto is awakened to water being squirted on his face. He opens his eyes slowly and everything is sort of shaky at first, but then it becomes clear. He's so happy his light is back. The light is back and it's wonderful to see. Naruto sits up slowly and his reality is back. He can feel his body again. How long was he even out?

"Damn…" Shikamaru gives him a knowing looks. "What the hell happened? You've been out for an hour?" Naruto can't tell Shikamaru about what happened, he would make him go the hospital. Naruto is fine and he doesn't need a doctor telling him he is going to die, if he takes care of himself.

Naruto sits nervously and can't say a word.

"Naruto is it that damn cold again?" Shikamaru says. "And don't lie. Naruto you can't do this okay. You need to go see someone. I have asked you and now I'm telling you to quit being so damn troublesome and get a doctor to look at you."

"Shikamaru." Naruto frowns. "I told you I don't want to see a doctor. I am fine. I mean… sometimes I lose my voice is all. I was a little drunk and it hit me on stage so I came back here and took a little nap, you know." Naruto comes up with lie quickly. He can't go to doctor.

"You really think I buy that?" Shikamaru asked. "I know what's going to happen and you need to listen. You are going to see a doctor."

"Shikamaru." Naruto's voice is hoarse. "I can't see a doctor." Naruto knows sounds like he's wheezing and Shikamaru lets out a knowing chuckle.

"You are getting a doctor." Shikamaru says.

"Come on…" Naruto says. "Can we meet in the middle, or something."

"Okay… This is what we'll do… you will get a live in nurse, I will pick them." Shikamaru says. "And then we'll get their opinion on the situation."

"But I have a tour." Naruto says. Naruto is set to go on tours out of the country in a month. "I can't let my fans down."

"They'll be let down more if their idol dies." Shikamaru tells him. "Now… We are leaving this place in thirty minutes to travel home. You coming?"

"Yeah." Naruto frowns. "This is so horrible."

"Well… That's life." Shikamaru says. "You won't go to the doctor, so I have to do what I have to do. Now get ready to go."

Naruto gathers his things and he's feeling a little better, besides a minor headache. Naruto grabs his things and he heads out of the door. Naruto heads out to bus. He takes it slowly and he gets on the bus.

"So I heard you had to take a nap after the performance?" Ino says as he texts on her phone. "Did you rest okay and get a little sobered up?" Everyone still thinks Naruto is drunk, which makes Naruto happy. He feels a little groggy and yet here he is.

"Yeah… I'll never mix that shit again." Naruto chuckles as he sits on the bus. Naruto is grateful no one knows what's really going on. Naruto doesn't know, but in the back of his mind he feels bad. He knows there's something the matter, but his pride is getting in the way. Well he is getting a nurse and the nurse should help him.

"Well you should've known you can't hold liquor, Naruto." Sakura says. "You were always bad a it. Remember when you ended up on the cover of that magazine with a DUI." Naruto rolls his eyes. It's true. Naruto was always bad at holding liquor. The DUI was a big setback and the mug shot was absolutely terrible, although everyone else thought it was funny.

"That's still the best DUI photo ever known to men." Shikamaru chuckles and everyone begins to laugh, except Naruto.

The choreographer, Lee, jumps on the bus and takes a sit next to Sakura. Lee is probably one of the most loudest and hilarious characters in Naruto's group. Lee is pretty much an odd ball, but he's an amazing choreographer. He and Sakura are engaged to marry.

"So what's up with you guys?" Lee fiddles with his green jumpsuit. Naruto figures he must have about a thousand of them. It's one of his favorite things to wear when he's on the road.

"Just laughing at Naruto's DUI photo." Neji chuckles, which is a rare sight. Naruto's DUI photo is probably the only thing he will laugh at. Lee joins in on the laughter with a loud obnoxious laugh that can only be called irritating.

"Whatever assholes." Naruto falls back onto the couch cushion. "Lee aren't you supposed to be driving the bus?" Lee enjoys driving the bus because he can't sit still for the hours. He says it gives him something to pass the time.

"Right, my friends." Lee stands up and heads to the front. "Time to get you all home safely."

After a few moments, the bus begins to move and the voices fade. Everyone is busy staring at their phones and listening to music. Naruto takes out his tablet and begins to watch tv hoping to forget today. There's nothing he wants more than to put today behind him and begin a new.

(Chaconne)

The ride home was nice and Naruto slept okay, except he hurt his neck a little with the position he slept in. Naruto is so glad to be home. The bus pulls up to Naruto's house and Lee drops everyone off before he takes the bus back to the company. Naruto walks up his driveway and everyone follows to go to their cars, except Shikamaru. Sakura stays on the bus with Lee of course, Shikamaru planned to pick them up from the rental place.

Naruto and Shikamaru walk into Naruto's home and they take a seat in the living room.

"Your nurse will be here tonight." Shikamaru says. "I am picking her up from the airport and I'll bring her here." Shikamaru speaks clearly and Naruto can tell he is serious by his tone. Shikamaru really wants Naruto to go to the hospital, but a nurse is the second best choice. "So… Do you have a room ready for the nurse?"

"Yeah." Naruto says. "I have the room right down the hall from mine. She can stay there. Also Sai is out shooting a movie, so I have to tell him when he gets back." Sai is Naruto's husband and their relationship has been something out of hell lately. Naruto never thought marrying Sai would be so frustrating. He seemed so nice and he was younger and innocent. Now Naruto doesn't know what to feel about his husband.

"Good." Shikamaru says. "I bet telling Sai is going to be so much fun." Shikamaru gives an all-knowing smirk, to which Naruto rolls his eyes. Shikamaru knows more about him than anyone else, even his own husband, Sai. Shikamaru is so trustworthy and truly the best manager and friend Naruto can have. He looks out for Naruto even if Naruto doesn't look out for himself. He's the reason Naruto got where he is today.

After all, it was Shikamaru who convinced the record label to let Naruto experiment with his music. Without Shikamaru, now a single soul would've heard Rasengan.

"So I have to go pick up Sakura and Lee then I am off to get your nurse." Shikamaru says.

"Thanks…" Naruto begins. "For looking out for me."

"No problem." Shikamaru chuckles. "Someone has to help the troublesome."

Naruto and Shikamaru share a hug.

After that Shikamaru turns to leave. "I'll be back before the night and make sure to be nice to the nurse. She'll only be here to help you."

"Alright." Naruto says.

(Chaconne)

Sasuke hates being up so high in the air for so long. He had been up here for about four hours and he hasn't gotten any sleep and the woman next to him is telling him all about her hometown, cats, and how she can't wait to see her grandchildren. He has learned more about the woman sitting next to him than his own parents. Sasuke tries to block her out with his music, but it just doesn't work out. She looks at him and Sasuke is trapped in a conversation again, with only twenty minutes left on this flight, Sasuke feels like he's in hell.

"So how old are your grandchildren." Sasuke asks the old lady, as she smiles widely.

"Well they're twenty, fifteen, and fourteen." She counts on her fingers to make sure she isn't missing one. "Oh the middle one's birthday is in four days."

"Oh sounds nice." Sasuke mumbles.

"Yeah… I know. We're going to the zoo and I have bought this wonderful knew tablet for him." She says. "He loves his phone, but you know kids these days they can't get over technology. So I got him this wonderful tablet. It's pretty awesome and it does this thing that he's been talking about. Also the twenty year old claims he has a boyfriend. Are you gay? I am so open minded about those things. I have a gay grandson."

"Oh I'm not to keen on my sexuality." Sasuke turns to the window. "I just go with the flow."

"Yeah… I hear ya. I wasn't bold enough to sleep with a women." She says. "Oh and my grand daughter, who is the youngest is in the band and choir. The girl plays the flute. She loves music so much and she claims she wants to be like that Naruto Uzumaki guy. You know that singer."

Sasuke nods. It comes to Sasuke that he doesn't remember her name. "What was your name again?"

"Nekobaa." She says. "I love that Naruto… Oh god… I saw him in concert a while ago and he is amazing."

Sasuke chuckles, in his own quiet way. He is headed to be a nurse for the man she speaks of. So Sasuke can meet him in person.

"I was listening to shadow clone all day." Nekobaa smiles and gives this dazed look as she reminisces. "He has such a beautiful voice. It's so raw and powerful. Every time I listen to Rasengan my heart breaks."

Sasuke nods. "I haven't heard of that song." Sasuke stays out of the media. He isn't one to care about Naruto Uzumaki. He's heard of the song Shadow Clone, but he has a deep hatred for that song. He hasn't heard any of this man's other work. He is one of the highest selling artists out there; still that means nothing to Sasuke.

The flight attendant announces that they are going to land the plane and that everyone should return to their seats. Sasuke is happy that he gets to leave this plane and this old woman behind him. Because people always talk on flights and then they disconnect afterwards. Sasuke relaxes on his chair and hopes this will be over soon.

"So I guess this is it…" Nekobaa smiles. "Here honey… You remind me so much of my son." She passes him a card with her number on it. "Call me whenever you feel like talking." The plane lands and people are rushing to get out of the plane.

Sasuke rolls his eyes. This woman obviously doesn't understand the idea that Sasuke and her will not talk ever again, and they won't see each other ever again. She is the woman on the plane and he is the guy she set next to. When he dies, He'll never even think about her. He was sure of it. Sasuke lets out a sigh and gets up from his chair after most of the plane has cleared out. Sasuke hates the rush and doesn't want to be stuck in a crowd of people. People are super irritating.

Sasuke grabs his carry on from the top along with his laptop bag. He is here on an assignment, to help Naruto Uzumaki. Sasuke barely knows much about the guy, so Tsunade thought he would be perfect, much to the dismay of all the other nurses. Sasuke works for a company that specializes in home care. Sasuke has worked with old, young, children, and even some that are dying.

Of all his visits, Sasuke only seen two people die, and that was a young child, to which Sasuke never truly recovered from as he has an emotional tie to it, and an old man. The old man was simpler to watch go, but when the child died… Sasuke had to take a couple of months away from work. He had just started and he wasn't ready to witness death again.

Sasuke steps off the plane and heads down the conveyor belt to see a group of people. Sasuke looks for a person who should be taking him to his destination. Sasuke analyzes the crowd till he finds a tanned guy with a ponytail. He's holding a sign that says "Sasuke?" Sasuke approaches the sign and gives him a solemn look.

"I am Sasuke." Sasuke pulls out his ID.

"Okay…" Shikamaru puts out his hand, and Sasuke jumps back like he's pulled out a gun. "Don't worry, Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too…" Sasuke says. "Are you Naruto?"

"No." He says. "I'm his manager."

(Chaconne)

Shikamaru was telling Sasuke all about confidentiality and how nothing that happens can get to the press. Sasuke knows all of this. Sasuke is not some incompetent idiot. He has been a nurse for ten years, after a tragic event. He's thirty-five and he knows what the hell he's doing.

"With all do respect." Sasuke says. "I think I know hell I'm doing. I know all about confidentiality and you won't have to worry because I barely know who your client is, outside of one sorry sad song." Sasuke turns his head to the window to admire the gated community they have entered.

"Oh so you don't know who… Naruto is?" Shikamaru says.

"Well I thought you were him." Sasuke shoves a piece of gum in his mouth.

"And I thought you were a woman so I guess we're pretty much even." Shikamaru pulls up to a house. Sasuke stares at the house, which is pretty large in size. It's located a distance from the other houses and it has a large colorful garden and a very green grass. The house has plenty of sunlight, thanks to all the large windows that cover it. Sasuke eyes almost grow wide at the architecture of the house.

The white and black Contemporary style home is very breathtaking.

"Alright." Shikamaru says. "You ready?"

Sasuke doesn't make a noise and he gets out of the car. He goes to the back and grabs his luggage. He only has one suitcase and a carry on. The suitcase is mostly filled with items and his work clothes and two outfits of regular clothing. He usually doesn't get free time with his job, and he's happy that way. He likes to stay busy with work.

Shikamaru leads him up to the door. "So here we are."

"Yep." Sasuke says. Sasuke has never seen Naruto's face before so… He sort of wonders what he looks like. The woman on the plane says how handsome he is, so Sasuke wonders if that's true. Naruto opens the door and Sasuke see's him.

He's a little taller than Sasuke and he has blonde hair. His skin is tanned and he's wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. Although he doesn't look sick, Sasuke can tell with the way his eyes move. This is his patient.

"Hello." Naruto sticks his hand out. "You're not a woman?"

"And you're not dead." Sasuke doesn't grab his hand.

"So Shikamaru, you picked up a little smart ass." Naruto turns to his manager. Sasuke smirks and he can feel his smirk turned into a smile. "So come in…"

"Kay." Sasuke says. Sasuke enters and Naruto leads him up the stairs and down the hall.

"This is the room you'll be sleeping in." Naruto says.

"Thanks." Sasuke puts his stuff down." Sasuke analyzed Naruto's walk. It's almost a bit sluggish and his posture seems too staggering. He isn't the picture of health, but he's pretty good at hiding it, if Sasuke weren't good at his job. "Hey… Well I'm your nurse now and you need to go lay down. I can see you're tired and your smile isn't fooling me. So go get rest."

"Why the hell…" Naruto looks confused. "Who the hell are you talking too?"

"You… Now I'm trying to help you and I said you're sick so go lay down." Sasuke commands. Usually people just do what he says, but this one is acting difficult.

"I don't have to listen to you…" Naruto crosses his arms like a child. Sasuke chuckles to himself, the look of a grown man crossing his arms is too much for Sasuke. What is he, a five year old?

"Oh Naruto." Sasuke rolls his eyes. "Why can't you go lay down? It's not like I'm trying to hurt you."

"I didn't give you a tour and you've only been in my house for eight seconds and you try to tell me what to do… I don't know you." Naruto yells.

"Well maybe we can get to know each other if you lay down and I'm sure you can show me around once you rest." Sasuke says. "So could you do what I say…."

"Shikamaru I want a new nurse." Naruto says. Shikamaru runs up the stairs.

"Naruto, I heard what happened. He's your nurse, so do what he says." Shikamaru says. "I don't care if he told you to jump off a cliff, do it."

"Why?" Naruto asks. "He's a new person… I don't know him."

"Naruto he only wants you to get better." Shikamaru answers. "Now just lay down for a while. God Naruto he just wants to help you he's the best nurse they have."

"Okay." Naruto frowns. Naruto frowns and goes to his room.

Sasuke is happy on the inside. He has won the battle.

"Maybe you can talk to him more kindly." Shikamaru says. "He's pretty sensitive."

"Well, this is as gentle as it gets." Sasuke says.

Shikamaru lets out a sigh. "Are you two going to kill each other."

"No." Sasuke says. "He just needs to do what I say."


	3. Chapter 3

The gall of that nurse. He was just a no one. He was a lousy person who wanted to control everything. He was an asshole and I am stuck with him. Him of all people! I'd rather be dead…

Naruto regrets that last thought, but Sasuke is being a pain in the ass. He made Naruto take a nap. Naruto isn't five years old. He's a thirty six year old man. Sasuke's not the boss of Naruto. He's works for him, and Naruto doesn't pay him to boss him around.

Naruto gets up out the bed. He had fallen asleep for about two hours, and now he's ready to show his face again. He's a little wobbly standing up. His balance is hard to find. Naruto feels like his house was on a fault line, and he falls back down to the bed, tired. Naruto takes a couple of deep breaths. Damn…Stupid body.

Naruto takes it slow this time and makes it to his feet in one peace. He lets out a sigh of relief. He walks carefully to the door and calls for Sasuke as he makes it out of the room. He doesn't receive an answer so he walks down the hall to Sasuke's room.

He looks in to find that Sasuke has tucked all of his clothes and other things away. Naruto notices he has a box which sits on the dresser. It's a small black one. Naruto is intrigued by the bright box, and wonders what's inside. He walks into the room to get the box. He makes it across the room slowly and grabs the box off the dresser.

"Naruto what are you doing up?" Sasuke asks. Sasuke has just finished looking through Naruto's medicine cabinet. He wanted to see some of the medication he had.

"I was laying looking up at the ceiling." Naruto tucks the box into his pocket.

"Did you need something?" Sasuke asks and Naruto shakes his head no. "Your color has come back somewhat. Sit on the bed and let me take you temperature."

Naruto sighs but does as he's instructed.

Sasuke sticks the thermometer in his mouth. "Hold it under your tongue."

"Say please." Naruto smirks and Sasuke rolls his eyes in irritation. To be the biggest star on the planet, the guy is pretty much an idiot. He's immature and he has no sense at all. Sasuke wishes he would shut the fuck up and do what he says.

"Please." Sasuke doesn't want to play childish games with a two year old.

Naruto makes noise, similar to that of a chuckle. The thermometer fell out of his mouth and onto his lap. "Sorry."

Sasuke makes a indescribable face and replaces the plastic tip on the thermometer.. "Open up. Here comes the airplane." He wants to play childish games, so I'll show him childish games.

"I'm not…" Naruto is silenced when the thermometer comes rushing in. It stabs him in the tongue and Naruto makes a loud grunt.

"Hold it under your tongue." Sasuke sounds almost intimidating. Naruto would be scared if it weren't for the fact that he is wearing scrubs and a nurse outfit. It almost made him seem less threatening in a way.

Naruto chuckles.

"Naruto why do you have to be so damn difficult. Can you just hold it under your tongue. What could be so funny that you can't do it?"

"You in your nurse outfit." Naruto says. "It's cute."

"Glad you think I'm so attractive." Sasuke speaks sarcastically. "Now can I take your temperature." Naruto holds it under his tongue like Sasuke asks. "One hundred and one, point one."

"Is that good." Naruto asks.

"No. It's not bad either." Sasuke sys. "You just need to take one of these." Sasuke walked over to his bag and grabbed a bottle of pills.

"You're giving me pills?" Naruto asked.

"I'm a nurse, Naruto. I have experience." Sasuke says. "Just take the damn pill." Sasuke grabs a water bottle from a pack under his bed. "I went to the store when you were sleep. Then I went through your medicine cabinet."

"Okay." Naruto says. "Is there something you want to know?" Naruto takes the medicine.

"Well are you taking anything?" Sasuke asks. "Any medicine or supplements."

"No… I just exercise." Naruto says.

"Okay." Sasuke says. "I just saw some anti depressions in your cabinet and I have to know if you're depressed."

"Those are my husband's, Sai." Naruto says. "He's shooting a movie."

"Oh. So you're married." Sasuke asks.

"Something like that." Naruto says. "Why do you want me?"

"In your dreams, lover boy." Sasuke tucks the pills back into his bag.

"So what do you have planned for me today?" Naruto asks.

"I am not schedule coordination, Naruto." Sasuke rolls his eyes. "I'm just a nurse. Whatever you do during the day is up to you. I will only intervene, if it's not in your best interest."

"So will I be ready for tour in a month?" Naruto asks. That's what Naruto wants to know. He loves the road. He enjoys going from town to town performing for his fans. He loves to see them smile when he comes out of the stage, some of them even cry. It's the rush he gets. It's the best feeling he's ever gotten. It's the thrill.

"Well...I don't know. So I've set up a day next week where you will go in to get your blood work done and run a couple of other test." Sasuke says. "It's private so you don't have to worry about all those people taking pictures, what do you call them?"

"Paparazzi?" Naruto guesses.

"Yeah."

"Do we have to go to the doctor?" Naruto hates the doctor.

"I know all about your fear of visiting a doctor, but it's necessary, so we know what's the problem." Sasuke says. "Come on, you're a grown man afraid of the doctor. He isn't going to hurt you, and I'll be there."

"Oh you're not exactly the picture of warmth and grace." Naruto retorts.

"Well will your husband be back? Maybe he can go with you?" Sasuke asks. Sasuke wonders what Naruto's husband looks like. Is he anything like Naruto and Sasuke guesses he an actress.

"I said we were kind of married, so he's not my best friend right now." Naruto says. "I will feel more comfortable if I knew something about you."

"Naruto all you need to know is that I'm your nurse." Sasuke says. "I don't want to give up my personal life. I'm not you. I don't live in the press."

"Why did you become a nurse?" Naruto asks.

"Because I enjoy helping people like yourself." Sasuke says.

"I doubt that." Naruto frowns. "Do you have any siblings?"

"A brother." Sasuke answers. "Now I'm not answering any of your other questions. I prefer to remain a mystery."

"Oh so you're building a mystery." Naruto says. "Do you know any of my music? Do you listen to me?"

"I didn't know who you were before a few hours ago. I didn't know how you looked and I heard one song that shadow clone stuff. So from that I guess that you're not my type of singer." Sasuke chuckled. "I think you have a nice voice though. It's a very unique tone."

"Ouch." Naruto says. "You just chained me to the ground." Naruto smiles at Sasuke with a knowing look, to which Sasuke makes a questionable face. "That's a lyric in Shadow Clone."

"Sorry the song was barely memorable. I heard it and never wanted to hear it again." Sasuke said. "I mean I respect your craft, but I think it's not for me. One day you might make something I like, until then good luck with everything."

"You know.. You are so rude." Naruto says. "Do you think you're rude?"

"No…I just say how I feel." Sasuke says. "So why did you want to become a singer?" Sasuke walks over to the closet and begins to organize his things. Naruto watches from the bed.

"I think because I love to make people happy. I've been a people pleaser since I was young. I wanted to be a violinist at first." Naruto says. "I just realized that it wouldn't work out."

"You with a violin?" Sasuke chuckles. "Do you play it like a guitar?" Sasuke hangs a pair of pants on the hanger."

Naruto runs his hands over his plaid pajamas. "Well believe it."

"I'll believe it, when I see it." Sasuke chuckles to himself.

Naruto wants to learn about Sasuke and he sees a bag on the floor. Naruto dives over and begins to look through it. In there is a small photo album and Naruto becomes interested. Naruto sits on the bed and proceeds to open the book.

"When did you learn to play the violin?" Sasuke asks from the closet.

"I learned from my mother, before she passed." Naruto says. Naruto begins to study the pages of Sasuke's picture book. There are pictures of Sasuke dancing. He was a ballerina? Then there are pictures of Sasuke and this older guy who looks like Sasuke, but he has two lines under his eyes. Naruto assumes it's his brother. Then there's a picture of his "brother" with a tall man with blue skin. He looks like a football player.

Naruto can't get over the fact that Sasuke was a dancer. There in the book was Sasuke dancing. So he's more interesting than he let's on.

Then there are pictures of Sasuke and a guy with blonde hair. Then there are pictures of a baby.

"Sorry for your loss." Sasuke stretches to put some of his things at the top of his closet.

"Don't feel bad. It was years ago." Naruto eyes can't move from the pages as he looks at the guy with silver hair. There are pictures of Sasuke kissing him and then there are pictures of him smiling and laughing. Sasuke was laughing and Naruto can't believe it. Why was he laughing? He never cracked a smile, except the sinister laugh.

Naruto hears Sasuke walking out of the closet and Naruto throws the book back over by the bag. He can't have Sasuke knowing he was looking through his stuff.

"Naruto." Sasuke says. "When did she die?"

"She and my dad died when I was eight." Naruto says. "She started teaching me when I was four. I continued after she died."

"Wow, that takes courage." Sasuke says.

"Sasuke do you dance, at all?" Naruto asks.

"Why?" Sasuke gives Naruto a questionable look. Sasuke wonders did he do a background check or something on him? Is this a test? Was he trying to see if he would tell the truth. Sasuke hates talking about his dancing years, in college. He quit afterwards and that was that.

"No reason." Naruto says. "I just wanted to know."

"I danced in college." Sasuke thinks honesty is the best policy. "I quit afterwards. Is that what you wanted to know?"

"Yeah." Naruto didn't expect Sasuke to be honest. "So what are we gonna tell people about us. I mean when we go places. I can't say you're my nurse, because no one besides Shikamaru knows about my sickness."

"Well that's what you need to think about." Sasuke says.

"I could say you're my friend with benefits." Naruto smiles.

"You're so funny, quite the joker." Sasuke frowns.

"Okay…How about I say you're a homeless man who I am taking it. I am a humanitarian." Naruto says.

"Then you're a huge liar. You can't lie about that, that's wrong." Sasuke huffs. "How about this, you can just say I'm a new part of your entourage."

"Yeah you can be my fluffer…" Naruto smirked.

"What's that?" Sasuke asks. "I guess I can

"Oh don't worry about it, you can start now." Naruto burst into fits laughter.

Sasuke grabs his phone and looks up fluffer. Naruto is making this word sound inappropriate, and Sasuke won't be left out of a joke. Sasuke's eyes widened when he finds the meaning. "No way."

"I was kidding." Naruto says. "You can be my personal assistant."

"Okay." Sasuke says. "I can do that."

"What would you like for dinner?" Naruto asks.

"Don't care." Sasuke says.

"Chinese." Naruto suggests.

"Don't care." Sasuke says.

"Alright. I'm going to order it." Naruto walks out of the room. Naruto is secretly planning to go look inside that black box and see what's in there. Naruto went into his room and looked inside the box. In the box was a small necklace with an engraving on it.

"We love you." Naruto reads. "Suigetsu and Sasuke." Then on the front it has the name "AIKA".

Naruto eyes widen. What the hell is Aika?

(Chaconne)

Sasuke cleans up the rest of his stuff when he goes over to put his stuff away out of his bag. He looks down and his book has fallen out of his bag. Sasuke picks it up. It's his photo album. Sasuke wonders how in the hell did it fall out of the bag?

Then Sasuke thinks of Naruto…

No he couldn't have done it? Did he look through it? Does he know about?... Sasuke flips through the book and in the back in the obituary from his child's, Aiki, funeral. I can't ask him...He'll think I'm hiding something. Dammit. How could you be so stupid Sasuke? You just left your bag out for the world to see.

Sasuke holds the book close to his body.


	4. Chapter 4

After a two days, Sasuke doesn't feel comfortable. Naruto had went through his things and he feel at any moment now Naruto's going to ask who was the little girl in the back of his book. Of course Sasuke doesn't want to tell him about Aika, his daughter. He doesn't need to know. It's none of his business.

He doesn't want to go back and talk about all that shit. That was something he rarely spoke about. After two days of stressing Sasuke did the only thing he could think of, he called Itachi. He dialed his brother's number quickly as he made breakfast for Naruto, which consisted of eggs, bacon, and toast. Naruto tried to make breakfast the other day and nearly ruined all of the food, especially the un done pancakes he made.

Sasuke has never eaten something that was so nasty. It's regular and then batter covered his mouth as he took a bite.

Disgusting.

"Hello." Itachi says. "How are you Sasuke? I'm surprised you didn't call me. You didn't even leave a message. Kisame checked it everyday."

"My bad." Sasuke says. "I just need to talk. So do you have a minute."

"Yep." Itachi sounds like he was in his office. Sasuke has forgotten that he was two hours ahead of them.

"If you're working, you can call me back?" Sasuke says

"No. I'm fine keep talking to me about random things." Sasuke can tell Itachi's been an ass. "Tell me about Naruto Uzumaki, and did you tell him I love his music and to send me a CD?"

"No...I didn't have time to fangirl over him." Sasuke says.

"That's because you don't know who he is." Itachi says. "You didn't even know who he was when I told you. It's sad really, how you don't keep up with the culture. Even I, and I am always late, know who Naruto Uzumaki is."

"That's only because Kisame wanted to go to a concert and he bought tickets." Sasuke shrugged.

"So. Don't be upset because I know my pop culture." Itachi boast. Kisame, according to Itachi, is a Naruto fan. Sasuke, now that has seen Naruto, finds it weird that the big blue man enjoys dancing to his music. It's disturbing.

"Whatever." Sasuke dismisses Itachi's statement. "I called you to talk about Aika." Sasuke hates talking about his daughter. It brings up memories about his failed marriage...and everything else. It's upsetting to think about her. She was such a sweet little girl. She was Sasuke's. Sasuke loved her with every piece of his body and it was his fault…

"I hope you're not blaming yourself for what happened." Itachi says. "I don't want to have to go through this again, Sasuke. We've talked about it several times."

"It's not that." Sasuke frowns. "I think my boss knows...and he might ask me about it. He knew about the ballet because he went through my stuff. I don't have privacy here. I don't want him coming down here questioning me."

"Well you are a stranger." Itachi reasons. "If he was in your home, I'm sure you would be curious. For all he knew you could've been a murder. Try seeing things from his perspective. And if he ask, all you have to is tell him she died. Then you move on." Itachi has a way of making things seems so easy, even though they weren't. Itachi has never lost a child, and even though it's been five years, Sasuke never truly recovered.

"Okay...sure." Sasuke frowns as he looks to the floor. "I just don't want to talk about it. He seems like the prying type."

"Oh he is…" Itachi chuckles. "I heard those are your favorite type of people, huh?"

"Hush. I have to go. He will be up soon." Sasuke says. "I'll call you later tonight to tell you how it goes."

"Alright. I'll be looking forward to it." Itachi says a goodbye and hangs up the phone.

Sasuke is left with the eggs, sausage, and toast. He plates it and sets it on the table as Naruto strolls into the kitchen.

"Morning Sasuke." Naruto says, whistling casually. Sasuke hates it that Naruto's always in a good mood. No matter what, he always smiling and happy. Then there's also the fact that he's stubborn as hell. He always wants things his way, and he doesn't like anyone telling him what to do.

"Hello." Sasuke cleans the dishes. "I made you breakfast."

Naruto smiles. It's cool how Sasuke is being. Although Naruto does have questions, like who the hell is Aika. Was she someone who was important to Sasuke. Sasuke didn't seem like he cared about much. Naruto can't even imagine Sasuke dancing. Why would Sasuke want to dance? He just doesn't have the personality for it. He rarely smiles and he's very sarcastic. Why is he such a nurse anyways.

Naruto takes a seat and Sasuke joins him. Naruto begins to eat and it's pretty good. Way better than those unfinished pancakes he made a few days ago. The bacon is crispy and delicious and crunched in Naruto's mouth. Naruto's pretty satisfied with breakfast this morning.

"Good?" Sasuke asks. He can see Naruto was pretty much enjoying his food, due to how quickly he was eating it. Sasuke has never been a good cook, but he learned a little from Itachi. Itachi's pretty wonderful at making food.

"Yep." Naruto says downing orange juice to wash away the food. "So I was thinking maybe you should um...meet my family. I mean I got to know you over the past few days and you're an asshole, but if you're going to be my assistant, you need to know my family and team, ya know."

"Huh? Naruto do you really think it's necessary for me to meet your family. I haven't met your husband, so why do I need to meet everyone else." Sasuke thought Naruto was taking this a little too fast. He didn't want to meet anyone. He was fine with it just being him and Naruto for now.

"But what will they say when they come over and see you?" Naruto asked. "You're so antisocial. You might want to loosen up just a bit, ya know." Naruto sighed. Naruto knew Sasuke was a little anti social. It had been three days and the only thing Naruto knew was that Sasuke used to dance.

"Naruto…" Sasuke frowned. "I'm fine. Leave me alone."

"Sasuke don't be like that." Naruto said. "You know that...I just want things to be nice. So I want you to meet my family. There's nothing the matter with that." Naruto was adopted by Kakashi and Yamato when he was young.

"You have no reason for me to meet your family. Besides, I heard about them through you. All I know it that you sing and you're a stubborn annoyance." Sasuke shrugs. "It's not like we're dating. I mean I am in no rush to meet your family Naruto, although I would love for you to do what I ask without any problems, but we both know that won't happen."

"I only mentioned their names, you don't really know them." Naruto asked. "So what do you want to know?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "There's nothing I want to know about you Naruto. I know that you want to talk about yourself so badly." Sasuke knew Naruto didn't miss an opportunity to boast about his music and talk about himself. He talked about his childhood and every stupid little detail. Even things Naruto didn't know about.

"I'm not vain." Naruto said.

"I beg to differ. If that's what you want to tell yourself, who am I to stop you." Sasuke said.

"Okay okay." Naruto gets up and disposes of his dishes. "So my parents are having a thing this weekend at their place, so I thought maybe you could come."

"Who said you were going." Sasuke washes the plates in the sink. "I mean if you're not feeling well I can't allow you to go."

"You can't tell me what to do. If I'm on my deathbed, and I want to go, I'm going to crawl my ass to that damn get together and do my damn thing." Naruto hates it that Sasuke just walks up in here and thinks he runs the entire show. The world shouldn't have to bow down to him. Shikamaru couldn't have picked a nicer nurse, someone caring or loving. Sasuke is a straight up asshole who thinks he knows everything.

"Well that's why I'm here, so you're not on your deathbed. And if you were on your deathbed you would be crawling to a stupid party. I knew you weren't the brightest candle in the market, but wow you've even blown me away." Sasuke taunts.

"Take that back." Naruto yells.

"Oh, now we're yelling, Naruto." Sasuke rolls his eyes. "You're so immature. I thought maybe for once we could have a civilized breakfast, guess I was wrong."

"Sasuke, you're a fukin' asshole that's why we can't have a civilized conversation." Naruto says. "I thought I'd be nice and invite you to come and meet my family, although I knew you wouldn't want to meet them."

"Then why did you asks?" Sasuke searches for an answer.

"Because. Everyone is not as mean as you. I would feel comfortable if you met them. I'm sure they would like to know the person that's living with me, who's not my husband." Naruto frowns. "Anyways I'm going to that thing this weekend, and you're coming because you have to follow me wherever I go."

"Why must you make things so difficult." Sasuke frowns. "I don't want to meet your family."

"Why not?" Naruto asks.

"Because I don't. I don't have to explain myself to you." Sasuke says.

"You know what you can get out then. You're an arrogant bastard, you know that." Naruto says. "I try to be nice to you and this is how you repay me. You act like an asss when all I'm trying to do is be nice. That's all I want to do is be nice."

"Naruto…" Sasuke rolls his eyes. "I'm fine. You're fine. Were fine. And you talk about his is how you repay me. Repay you for what? Looking through my things. Going into my stuff and looking through my photo album."

"Oh so you know I have the necklace." Naruto tilts his head.

"You have the necklace?" Sasuke asks. "MY necklace. Why do you have that? It's not yours."

"Well I thought...I don't know. The better question is who the fuck is Aika?" Naruto asks.

"Bull shit." Sasuke huffs "You...You...You are a fuckin' dope. Why the fuck would you go into my things and grab my daug…"

"Your what?" Naruto asks.

"Nothing...Give me the necklace." Sasuke says. "It's not yours."

They are both silenced when the door opens.

"Hey Naruto." Sai walks into the kitchen then he looks at Naruto and then to Sasuke. Naruto doesn't know what to say. "Who's this?"


	5. Chapter 5

Naruto's a statue in a museum. He can't blink, think, or talk. He's been turned into stone and his current husband is glaring at him with a questionable glare. Naruto's been caught in a weird situation. He should've told Sai about Sasuke, but he didn't think that Sai was coming home. Why the hell is he even here, Naruto hasn't seen him in about 2 months. He didn't even bother to come see him on tour.

"Oh well, I see you're back at it once again?" Sai smirks or smiles, Sasuke can't decide. He closes his eyes and then it just looks so weird. It's off-putting and makes him feel very uncomfortable.

"Back at what?" Naruto asks.

"Ya know." Sai gives Naruto a knowing look and Naruto frowns.

"That's not what's happening. I'm sick and Sasuke, here, is my nurse." Naruto explains. "I don't think you should come in here and accuse me of something that you don't even know happened. He's my nurse, that's all."

"Naruto. I don't want to argue in front of the help." Sasuke is offended at Sai's statement but decides to keep his mouth clothes. "I just didn't know you had a nurse is all."

"Yep. I meant to tell you, but you weren't answering your phone."

"Is he a good nurse?" Sai looks at Sasuke. "Or has he been really naughty."

"Okay hahaha." Naruto cackled. "Aren't you supposed to be shooting a film or something like that?"

Sasuke studies Sai. He sure is skinny. He has dark black hair, much like Sasuke's, but his skin is very pale, like paper white. His eyes are black like ink and he wears this smile that Sasuke made Sasuke very uncomfortable. How the hell is he an actor?

"I do," Sai said. "And we had a week off...I just came back to tell you something."

"What is that?" Naruto asks, curious.

"I just wanted to hand you these." Sai pulls something out of the bag he has. He hands it to Naruto and Naruto glances at the paper confused.

"No."

"Yes," Sai says. "I want to divorce you. I mean I'm leaving you."

Sasuke didn't say a word. He actually felt sorry for Naruto at this moment, but from the way Naruto talked about Sai, it was only a matter of time.

"You want to leave me?" Naruto looks at him confused. "I'm fuckin' dying and you want to leave me. I'm sick as hell."

"You're not dying. You'll be fine" Sai says. "Where were you when I had skin cancer? Oh right fuckin' some groupie."

"Hey. That's not fair. We had problems way before you got cancer." Naruto says. "And I felt bad about it...I still do. I mean I know you never got over it, but…"

"But what?" Sai looks at him with a blank expression. "You just thought I'd let it go...Naruto I barely ever see you and you barely ever see me. Then when I do see you...I don't want to talk to you. I got pissed off when I had to come home. I hate being here."

"You hate it here?" Naruto looks confused. Naruto doesn't think it's the perfect place, but he likes going home.

"Were you excited to see me when I walked in?" Sai asked.

"Yeah.." Naruto scratched his head.

Sasuke decides to walk out of the room. He shouldn't be here in the middle of this. This was none of his concern. He walks out and stands at the stairs. He doesn't know why, but he can't go up the stairs.

"See there's another thing. You always lie to yourself. Why can't you tell me how you feel?" Sai asked. "Naruto I don't want to be a part of this relationship anymore and I love someone else."

"You've been sleeping with someone else?" Naruto eyes dart to the grown and a salty liquid feels up his blue eyes. There is a silence that takes over the room. "Who is it?" Naruto asks like he's in a dramatic movie.

"Kankuro."

"Your fuckin' co-star?" Naruto asked. "You're leaving me for your fuckin' costar. How tacky."

"Well, you slept with an unknown man at a concert...how tacky."

"You know what? I knew him." Naruto nails dug into his skin as he clenched his fist. "He was a friend from my childhood. And it wasn't a one-time thing. I'd been fuckin' him for two years."

"Two years?" Sai asked.

"Yep two years." Naruto milked every syllable.

"Well, I've been with Kankuro ever since went into recovery," Sai said.

"Oh, so it's been one of those things, huh?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah when I found out you were fuckin' other people, I thought I might as well be fuckin' other people." Sai shrugged. "Does that piss you off Naruto, huh? And why don't you tell me more about this affair?"

"You know I used to feel so bad about myself, but now I don't care. I don't regret anything." Naruto spat. "I'd do it all the same again. If I could change one thing it would be marrying you. That was the biggest mistake of my entire life. I've wasted seven years on you. SEVEN! I'll never get them back."

"This marriage was over two years ago."

"Well fuck you then," Naruto said.

"Oh go to hell!"

"You are so fuckin' great, everything about you. That's why you're art career failed because your work is shit! You're not talented…" Naruto begins to cough and his words flow too close together. Sasuke's hears that and he rushes over to see what's wrong.

"Untalented," Sai said. "And you're the next Bob Dylan. Your lyrics are trash."

Naruto falls to his knees and Sasuke sits with and tries to see what's the matter. Naruto gasp for air and his face is red and sweaty like a woman in labor. Sasuke quickly retreats to get a breathing machine and pumps oxygen to Naruto's body.

Sai stands there looking not saying a single word.

Tears began to slide down Naruto's eyes as he takes deep breaths of the oxygen flowing from the machine. He looked a little dazed and Sasuke didn't know whether he was in trouble or just having a panic attack? Well, his husband of seven years just told him he was leaving him, so wouldn't that cause a lot of stress?

"I guess you can take care of him now?" Sai shrugs and walked out leaving Sasuke with Naruto on the floor.

"You okay?" Sasuke asks.

"I don't know," Naruto says between tired breaths. He wheezes, his words sounded like a gasp for air and Sasuke rubs his back lightly and encourages him to take longer breaths. "I..you…" Naruto coughs, his words stuck in his throat.

"Naruto. Breath." Sasuke says, trying to keep Naruto from falling back onto the ground. Sasuke wonders how can someone just walk away from their husband in this state. He gives him the stare of a lifetime and just walks off not even to look back to see if he's okay.

"Hhheeee…" Naruto attempts to breathe, but it comes off as a strained screech.

"Don't try to talk." Sasuke wishes Naruto would focus on breathing, but as always he tries to speak. Sasuke has never met a person in his life that talked so much. He can probably hold eight conversations and Sasuke will bet that he would find some way to make himself the main subject of conversation.

Tears roll down Naruto's face, like raindrops on glass. His visions are cloudy and his lungs are burning like brimstone like a mini fire is starting in his body.

"I have a nebulizer upstairs in my bag. Are you okay to sit for two seconds?" Sasuke asks, knowing that sitting here isn't going to help Naruto.

Naruto nods and Sasuke pulls Naruto over to the wall and props him up. Naruto tilts his head up and looks directly into the skylight in the kitchen. All he can gather is little specs of light dancing in the salty water that pours from his eyes. Naruto proceeds to try and take longer breaths, but he ends up choking on the air and coughing up a storm.

He uses his arm as a windshield wiper to clear the tears and sweat from his face. He's not relieved when everything in the house still looks unclear.

"Damnit." Inwardly screams. His mind wants to pick himself up from this less than noble position on the floor and at least gain some pride. He hasn't known Sasuke for that long, and he doesn't need to see him like this. No way.

"Here." Sasuke plugs in the nebulizer and shoves the mouthpiece in Naruto's mouth, causing Naruto's head to bounce off the wall behind him.

Naruto winces and rubs the back of his head. He can't make a single grunt with this thing in his mouth.

"C'mon breathe." Naruto wonders how someone can remain so calm as if he's done this a million times. Naruto is sure he has, but still, Naruto can't imagine having to take care of dying people for a living. That's a shitty life.

Naruto sighs as he feels his lung feel up with the air from the breathing machine, that tastes like flat ginger ale.

"Okay…" Sasuke says. "Hold this." Naruto obeys taking a hold of the mouthpiece. "Now I told you not to stress yourself out the other day and you had to go over the edge. What's the matter with you?"

"I-"

"Don't speak. You're going to strain your voice." Sasuke frowns. "I told you to keep calm, and yet you went off the deep in. Just because you feel well doesn't mean you're at all well. We don't know what's wrong with you, anything could be wrong with you. You haven't visited a physician and you have some nerve thinking that I'm here to sit around and watch you die. My job is to make you better, and I'm damn sure going to do that."

Naruto raises his hand as if to say something.

"Don't say a word. You stay on that breathing machine and don't open your mouth until all the liquid has left the tube." Sasuke sighs. "I would call the ambulance, but I think you just need a little air is all. You'll be fine, but back to what I was saying before hand. Quit straining yourself Naruto. You're only hurting yourself and in the end, you will be your own downfall. You're way too persistent, even when you don't have to be. It takes time to get better, you don't feel good overnight."

Sasuke takes a long breath, and Naruto watching him wanting to give Sasuke a piece of his mind. He doesn't know what he's been through...he just makes assumptions because he's an asshole. Naruto has reason to be so persistent. Sasuke just doesn't understand.

Sasuke goes into the fridge, while Naruto sits on the floor not saying a single word. Sasuke pulls an apple from the fridge and begins to cut it. "It seems you just don't know when to quit, and isn't that what you say in your interviews?"

Naruto eyes trail up to Sasuke who stands at the counter peeling the skin from the apple.

"Yeah I watched some of your stupid interviews." Sasuke had spent the night before doing a little research on Naruto. He wasn't surprised to find that the man is really a people's person and he enjoys talking about himself. "When I set a goal, I never give up. Believe it." Sasuke mocks Naruto's voice, and Naruto makes a noise along the lines of a chuckle.

"I've never heard you talk so much." Naruto mutters.

"I told you not to speak." Sasuke reminds him. "But you're so disobedient."

"Why are you such as ass…" Naruto grunts.

"I'm not as an ass, and that's no way to talk to someone who came all the way here to help you with your problems. Obviously, no one else can seem-"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I liked you better when you were choking." Sasuke eats a section of the apple that he's chopped up.

If Naruto had any strength left at all in his body, he would use it all to go over and punch Sasuke square in his face.

"I'm only trying to help you out," Sasuke says. "If I didn't care what happened to you would I be here watching over you, making sure you didn't strain your precious voice so you can sing again. So you might want to sit down, be grateful, and shut up.

"I just-"

"No Naruto. No." Sasuke says. "Be quiet and take your breathing treatment. I thought you wanted to feel better, not worse." He's snippy, stating instead of asking.

"I'm…paying to be here."

"Yeah, but that doesn't make a difference. It's not like I need your money. I would be perfectly fine if I walked out here right now. There's always another client and there's always someone else who needs me just as much as the-"

"Fuck-" Naruto begins to cough, the mouthpiece falling out his mouth landing on his leg.

"Naruto. Hush." Sasuke says.

They sit in silence, and Naruto pounds his fist against the wood floors repeatedly. Each time he hits the floor he imagines it to be Sasuke's face. He needs to be taken down a peg or two. Naruto is paying him to be here. Naruto can feel himself being taken over my anger, and he doesn't like to be like this, but he can't help it.

The liquid in the machine runs out and Sasuke comes over and turns it off. Sasuke then offers Naruto's a hand, and Naruto takes it begrudge. "C'mon. Let's get you back in the bed."

Naruto can't believe he was actually thinking of letting Sasuke meet his family. That would've been a stupid move on his part. Sasuke isn't deserving of anything but a smack to his face. Naruto puts his arm on Sasuke's shoulder as they climb the steps. Naruto feels like he's hiking up a mountain, he's getting slightly dizzy with every step.

"Sit for a minute," Sasuke suggests, and Naruto takes a seat next to Sasuke on the stairs.

"Why are you so rude. I wanted to kill you seconds ago."

"I'm not rude, Naruto. I just want you to get better is all. That's my job, and you make it extremely hard when you don't listen and go off doing things your way."

"I didn't know Sai was going to come in here and do that."

"I know, but Naruto it's all about self-control." Sasuke shrugged. "You need to learn how to get some."

"I can't help it." Naruto voice was a little strained and he talked in quiet tones.

"You just need to rest and take a little time for yourself, and then you might actually make some progress," Sasuke said. "I know this wasn't the best day for you-"

"I'm getting a fuckin' divorce," Naruto groans, he almost forgot all about Sai and the shit he was going through at the moment.

"A lot of people get a divorce," Sasuke says. "It doesn't mean anything."

"It means I failed at marriage...I've never failed at anything before. You know when all the kids told me I'd never be anything more than an orphan and that I would never get adopted...that really pissed me off. So every person that came in looking for a kid were mostly gay men and women looking to get children, but they wanted small kids. At eight years old they all thought I'd be too much of a hassle to be anyone's child, you know all the emotional trauma, but I didn't stop, and then about a year later a silver haired man and a man with almond eyes came to visit. They wanted to adopt a young child, but they saw me sitting at the table eating a sandwich."

Sasuke listens interestedly.

Naruto tells Sasuke how they looked into each other eyes and Naruto gave the most adorable nine going on ten-year-old smile he could muster up, and then they wanted him. They chose him. "I felt special. I never got to feel special, Sasuke. I never felt wanted and those two guys wanted me. They picked me out of all the others."

"Congrats." Sasuke wasn't good with feelings.

"And I got to go a cool place and I went on my first family vacation that I actually remembered. I and my birth parents went to a couple places, but I vaguely remembered them. All I could remember is how alone I felt when they died and how I thought no one wanted me. The woman at the orphanage used to tell me that it was okay and that someone will come, but she didn't really want me. She was getting paid by the state and she tried to hold onto as many as she could so she could maintain her lifestyle."

"Do you like the parents that adopted you?"

"I call them dad," Naruto said. "I know it's weird, but I started calling them dad maybe when I turned thirteen...it just felt right."

Sasuke is at a lost for words, he isn't' good with feelings, so it was beyond him on how to help Naruto through this rough time. He should know all the answers, but he didn't know how to help Naruto. What Naruto was going through was a walk in the park compared to his divorce.

"You see I've never failed. I always succeeded. I became a superstar because I said I would and look at me." Naruto smiles. "I've done a lot...and I've never failed at something. So to fail at something as simple as marriage is shitty. It's something so simple, but it's not really...I'm sure you heard I stepped out on Sai a while back."

"It's none of my business," Sasuke says.

"I know, but you're the only one here I can talk to."

"Naruto you're going through a divorce. It's horrible and it sucks, but you'll get over it eventually and then you'll see it was for the best. It's better to fail at divorce than live a lie."

"How would you know-"

"Because I've been divorced." Sasuke stands up. "C'mon time to go upstairs to bed."

Naruto nods and Sasuke helps him up.


End file.
